The Dance
by blazergirl1720
Summary: End of series song fic. Music is The Dance by Garth Brooks.  Sad but not 'tragic'.


**The Dance**

by Nina

Song Fic

Music: The Dance

Artist: Garth Brooks

Standing at the top of a long flight of steps was a lone man. He wore comfortable blue jeans and a loose red shirt, his feet covered in a pair of sneakers. His violet eyes scanned the grounds of the Shinto shrine he had come to visit; eye's that held far too much wisdom and knowledge for a face so young. The young man turned back to look the way he came, at the city he remembered from so long ago, the setting sun throwing orange rays over the many structures. Tokyo was much the same as he remembered it. InuYahsa bowed his head toward the city, as if to acknowledge an old friend.

_:Looking back are the memories of  
The dance we shared beneath the stars above:_

_Hey Kagome, it's been a long time since I talked to you, _thought InuYasha._ Well, I made it, _he returned his attention to the shrine grounds,_the road was long and hard without you by my side but I'm here._

A sad smile played on his lips as the large tree dominating the grounds caught his attention. _Do you remember the first time we met? I tried killing you for that jewel you were protecting,_ InuYasha gave a little laugh as he remembered what happened next. _Then Kaede magicked that thing around my neck and you 'sat' me right through a bridge._ _What a way to meet. _ More memories of their first year came back to him, and he winced, remembering the jerk he had been.

_God, Kagome, I'm sorry. I wish I could take back all the hurtful, mean things I said to you._ A feeling of regret came over InuYasha. _It really is a wonder we made it past that._

Longing washed away the regret as he remembered what else had happened during that time so long ago. _Do you remember our friends, our pack? They were great, weren't they? _ InuYasha smiled, _they stayed with us and became our friends even when they knew what I was. After our journey ended and everything settled down Sango and Miroku had about eleven pups and not one turned into a pervert. _InuYasha's smile turned into a grin. _I think Sango was thanking any higher being she could think of for that. _ With a sigh InuYasha sat on the top step and leaned back against the entrance gate. He looked back to the street below, searching for a familiar face. _Even with all the arguing, those two were inseparable. _

The image of a two tailed cat came into his mind. _Kirara ended up staying with Miroku and Sango and through many generations of their family line, as a guardian of sorts. Once humans started to turn away from their belief in demons she faded herself into the background. To this day she is still protecting her beloved Sango's descendents. _ InuYasha thought fondly of the fire cat who still came around to visit him every so often.

InuYasha's grin came back as he thought of another member of their pack. _You're not going to believe what Shippo did, Kagome. _InuYasha nearly laughed as he remembered the young pup they had adopted into their pack. _Do you remember those treats you used to bring back with you, the sticks covered in chocolate? That little spitfire decided to 'invent' those when chocolate was introduced to our little Japanese islands. You forgot to mention just how popular those boxed treats are._

_:For a moment all the world was right  
How could I have known that you'd ever say good bye:_

_Shippo was something else, wasn't he? An innocent little pup thrown into the harsh realities of life at such a young age, that boy was a survivor._ Fond remembrance of the little fox demon pup he had come to know as his son softened his time worn eyes. _He really did love you as his mother, something he was in desperate need of, and was just as devastated as me when you had to leave us. _A single tear rolled down InuYasha's cheek. _He survived, though I don't know how. Losing two mothers in the span of ten years would leave its mark on anyone._

He wiped the tear from his face and turned from the street below back to the shrine grounds, his gaze settling on the house where the shrines owners lived. _Shippo is going to be here in a little bit, to meet your mom, grandfather and brother, he's been waiting to do so for a long time. He's bringing someone you never did get a chance to meet. _At this thought his eyes softened again and another errant tear escaped his eye before he shook his head and thought about something else.

_:Holding you I held everything  
For a moment wasn't I the king:_

_I came here early today to talk to you before the other two arrived. _InuYasha stood back up and looked around, his sensitive ears listening to make sure no one would see him. He walked over to the tree that had caught his attention earlier, his hands reaching to touch the bare spot before he jumped into the branches. _I remember sitting in this tree, holding you, as we talked about all kinds of things. The last time we sat in this tree together I felt the little one kick for the first time._

He smiled as he remembered how excited he was._ I refused to jump up here with you after that because there was no way I was going to endanger you or our pup… _at this InuYasha trailed off as the one tear turned into many.

_If I'd only known how the king would fall  
Hey who's to say you know I might have changed it all_

_You were so strong, Kagome, you made sure our pup made it into this world, made sure she was able to live. _Remembering those long hours he let the tears fall. _It's still hard to believe you didn't make it, that you never got a chance to hold the little girl you brought into this world. _

_:And now I'm glad I didn't know  
The way it all would end  
The way it all would go:_

InuYasha looked off to the little forest behind him. He suddenly had the urge to just run, to get away from the pain and sadness he'd been hiding for so long, but he couldn't. This was something he needed to do, and not just for him; her family deserved to know. _It doesn't seem fair; to them you've only been gone for about one month. _He shook his head, thinking about how cruel the world could be. _For me it's been nearly five hundred years_

_:Our lives are better left to chance  
I could have missed the pain  
But I'd of had to miss the dance:_

InuYasha's face softened as into a paternal smile as his thoughts turned to his daughter, the little girl he'd watch grow into a beautiful woman. _I gave her the name you wanted her to have if she was a girl. She's very beautiful, Kagome, on the nights of the new moon, the nights when she is fully human, she looks exactly like you. You would be so proud of her; she has my stubbornness and your loving personality. She can find the good in anyone and even managed to melt away a few of Sesshomaru's layers. _ InuYasha's mind went to the few enduring smiles he'd witnessed from his brother as Sesshomaru listened to his niece, and the close bond they now seemed to share. _That little pup helped me and Sesshomaru get over our hate for one another, can't say we'll ever be close but we don't try to kill each other every time we meet anymore._

InuYasha looked toward the shrine entrance as he caught the scent of his children. _Kagome, I love you and miss you so much, I hope they are treating you well were you are and I'll see you again some day. Wait for me, my mate._With that, he wiped his eyes and dropped to the ground to meet the two at the shrines entrance. He smiled at them as they mounted the top step.

"Hey, Papa," the woman said with a smile of her own.

"Hi, Papa, are you ready to do this?" the young man asked InuYasha.

InuYasha looked at the house once again. "As ready as I'll ever be." Then his violet eyes meet the brown of his daughters and then the green of his sons. "Arisa, Shippo, you two ready to meet everyone?" At their nods InuYasha pulled the locket from around his neck so his features would shift back to normal; amber eyes, long white hair and dog ears on top of his head. He motioned for the other two to do the same and watched as his daughter went from brown eyes and long black hair to amber eyes and long black hair with two well formed dog ears on top of her head; his son lost a couple inches as his feet changed to paws though his red hair and green eyes stayed the same.

When Arisa and Shippo were ready they started for the house and InuYasha stopped for a minute to look once again at the tall tree and then at the little shrine beside it, inside he knew was the well that had once sent a girl from the future to the feudal era; a girl who had melted the hate and suspicion from his heart and helped him learn how to love again. Though it had nearly killed him when he lost her he wouldn't ever change it because, for all the pain of his loss, he had gained more than he could have ever hoped for and for that he was very grateful.

_:Yes my life is better left to chance  
I could have missed the pain  
But I'd of had to miss the dance:_

_Owari  
_

4


End file.
